


This Was A Date?

by rant_girl



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Banter, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Date, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivious Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), POV Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28639353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rant_girl/pseuds/rant_girl
Summary: Buck and Eddie finally go on their first date. Too bad Eddie had no idea.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 30
Kudos: 444





	This Was A Date?

**Author's Note:**

> AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! *screaming internally forever* I do not know what even. *throws up hands*

They’d just gotten back from their first call of the morning, everyone was heading up to the loft for a late breakfast, which had been Eddie’s plan too, when an all too familiar hand took hold of his wrist and Eddie turned back to take a look at his best friend. Buck’s thumb brushing over his pulse point before he let go.

“Hey, uh, Eddie, can I ask you something?” Buck pressed his own hands together, wringing his fingers as he made eye contact.

Eddie smiled, giving him a _go ahead_ kind of nod.

“Well,” Buck held his breath for a second, letting it out with a huff of a laugh, “since you’re on your own tonight,” Buck shrugged, head dropping down as he grabbed the back of his neck, seeming to take a breath as if to steady himself, “I was wondering if maybe you’d want to go out to dinner with me?” was he nervous? That didn’t make any sense.

Did he think Eddie wouldn’t want to spend time with him?

Eddie didn’t even have to think about his answer, “Of course.”

“Yeah?” and that little flash of hope in Buck’s eyes tugged at someplace in Eddie’s chest.

“Yeah, Buck. It’ll be nice to finally get some alone time.”

Not that Eddie didn’t love every single second he got to spend with his son, but it had been a while since he and Buck just got to hang out just the two of them. Have some grown up time. Well outside of work anyway.

Buck beamed at him, “Great. I’ll pick you up at 7.”

And if Buck sat a little closer to him, if his touches lingered a little longer, if he nestled a little closer when he slumped down into Eddie’s side when they were halfway through their shift, Eddie didn’t pay it any mind.

“What’re we reading?” Buck asked, eyes closed and head resting into the crook of Eddie’s neck.

“ _We’re_ not reading anything.”

Buck _slapped_ his hand into Eddie’s abs with little to no force, letting his fingers curl into the fabric of his t-shirt, with an honest to god pout on his lips, “Read to me.”

It wasn’t a request.

“Buck, if you wanna sleep, why don’t you go crash in the bunks?”

“You’re comfier.”

Eddie shook his head with a snort, but he turned back to the beginning of the chapter and started reading aloud to Buck. It didn’t take more than a few sentences for the younger firefighter to fall asleep and Eddie went back to reading his book in peace, one arm wrapped loosely around Buck’s middle.

After Buck’s nap, the bounce in his step seemed to be even bouncier, and somehow buoyed to even higher heights when he managed to beat Hen at a round on the Xbox. The alarm had sounded before she could demand a rematch. Buck had practically victory danced all the way to the truck, only stopping to descend the stairs.

\--

“So, what’s up with him?” Hen had asked when they finally got back, with a tilt of her head towards the kitchen where Buck was helping Bobby prepare their next meal.

Eddie’s brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”

Chimney scoffed, “You’re joking right?”

“Yeah, Eddie, c’mon,” Hen said, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. Buck’s good moods are always infectious. Lord knows we need that around here. But it seems like our regular ball of sunshine has gone full blown supernova today. Not even you can be that oblivious.”

“Not even _me_?” What the hell was that supposed to mean? Eddie liked to think of himself as a pretty observant guy, it’s part of what made him so good at his job after all, what had made him a good soldier. But that wasn’t as important as the other thing she’d said, “And is supernova really the right word?” 

It didn’t sit right with Eddie, “Those are the last hurrah of a dying star, right?” Sure, they burned brighter, and he knew that that’s probably what Hen meant, but supernovas were destructive, _nuclear_. Buck’s light was rapturous, it brought people in, it was love and joy, empathy and so much kindness. “Buck’s energy is more… _boundless_.”

Eddie wasn’t sure if that was the right word either. Hen and Chim’s matching raised eyebrows told him they didn’t think so too. At least that’s what he thought it meant. Eddie shrugged with a slight shake of his head, “I think he’s just excited about the restaurant we’re going to tonight.”

There was this place that Buck had heard about that was supposed to be fancy, but not _too_ fancy, and the food was supposed to be amazing, that he’d mentioned wanting to go to a few times. Eddie was sure that’s where Buck would want them to go.

“You _two_ ,” Chim wagged his finger between them, “are _going out_?”

Eddie narrowed his eyes a little, “Is that a trick question?”

Hen arched her brow at him, confusion settling in his own as she said, “You have a kid-free night” a smirk twitching at the corners of her lips, “And you’re spending it with _Buckaroo_?”

“Who else would I spend it with?”

“Exactly,” Chimney said as if that somehow explained everything.

“Am I missing something here?”

And at that they both just snorted at him breaking into fits of laughter, which made Buck and Bobby look up.

“Do I want to know?” Bobby asked. 

“Wish that I could tell you, Cap,” Eddie said, “but I have no clue.”

“You can say that again,” Hen muttered from behind her hand, setting both her and Chimney off once more.

Eddie rolled his eyes, but one look from Buck and he found himself smiling again, “Just ignore them, Eds.”

\--

Eddie was just making the finishing touches to his hair −he’d let it grow out again, at some point months ago, a drunken Buck had told him how much he missed Eddie’s quote unquote _floofier_ hair, a tequila-infused promise had been made and for some reason Eddie had felt compelled to keep it− when there was a knock at his door. 

His eyebrows drew together as he glanced back over his shoulder in the general direction of his front door. The only person he was expecting was Buck. Why the hell was he knocking? Eddie shook his head, giving himself a final once over in the mirror before he went to answer the door. 

He was ready to ask why Buck didn’t just use his key, “Buck−” but he was caught off-guard by what Buck was holding in his hands.

“Hey, Eds.”

“Hey.” Buck moved past him into the house and Eddie got the door, the two turning back around to face each other.

“I, uh, I got you these,” Buck ducked his head, pink dusting his cheeks, there were those nerves again. All Eddie wanted to do was to soothe them.

“You got me flowers?” his voice coming out quieter than he meant it to as he took the bouquet from Buck.

“It’s probably stupid,” Buck said without looking up, “It’s stupid. I just thought−. You can just toss them if−”

“Buck, I would _never_. It’s not stupid.”

“It’s not?” Buck asked, finally meeting his eyes again.

“I love them.”

“Really?”

Eddie smiled, “Yeah, I do. Chris’ll love them too,” Chris loved flowers, Eddie didn’t know why he’d never thought to buy any himself, “I just−. No one’s ever got me flowers before,” not _just ‘cause_ , he knew he’d had flowers when he’d been in hospital and he didn’t let himself linger on the ones he’d received _in sympathy_. And he refused to entertain what his father would have had to say about a man giving another man flowers. Eddie was better than that. He was raising Christopher to be better than that. “Thanks, Buck.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Guess I should put these in water.”

Buck followed Eddie to the kitchen, hanging back in the doorway. Eddie knew he had a vase somewhere, he didn’t know when or how he had acquired it, but he knew he’d seen one somewhere, it had probably belonged to Abuela or Shannon. There it was, tucked into the cupboard under the sink. He filled it up about midway and set the flowers inside still in their cellophane, “I’ll fix them later. Don’t want to be late. You made reservations, right?”

“I did.”

“Who’s driving?”

“I said I’d pick you up, didn’t I? You are aware of how the concept of being picked up works, right?”

“Okay, _pendejo_. Let’s go.” Eddie said, not without affection, earning him a smack to the chest.

\--

Buck had let Eddie have the booth side of the table while Buck took the chair. Eddie had always hated when restaurants did that kind of set up, both parties should have equally comfortable seating as far as he was concerned. But other than that, it seemed like a nice place. _Fancy but not too fancy_. The tables weren’t too close together, the lighting was soft, and it almost felt _cosy_. There was a set menu, apparently they changed it every week, and for each course there were 4 or 5 things to choose from but naturally they had both been torn between the exact same two options for each.

“Why don’t I get one thing you get the other thing, and then we can just split every plate 50/50?” Eddie offered.

“Sounds good to me,” Buck smiled that softer smile he got sometimes that Eddie couldn’t help but return, even if he couldn’t place it.

But with their plan settled, he beckoned Buck over with his hand, “Get your butt over here.”

“What?”

“We should sit on the same side of the table. Makes it easier to share.” Which was nothing but the truth. And at any rate it felt kind of weird, almost _formal_ to have Buck sitting so far away, _unnatural_ , they always sat side by side whether they were at work or just hanging out. 

“ _Okay_.”

And if the last slither of whatever tension drained from Buck’s shoulders as they pressed together when Buck sat back down, well that was just a bonus, conversation flowing as freely as it always did between them. They talked about work and Christopher. Their friends and anything and everything in between. And Buck apparently had plans for the next time it was just the two of them and Eddie had really liked the sound of that.

\--

When they got back to Eddie’s door, Buck took a half step back, and Eddie laughed a little in mild confusion, “Aren’t you coming in?” Eddie had figured they’d probably have a couple of beers, watch a movie, he didn’t even really think about it, he just expected it. It was what they always did.

So, it caught him completely off-guard when Buck said, “Not tonight,” and Eddie had held his breath, freezing in place, as Buck leaned in pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, “Can’t break first date rules.”

_Date?_

“This was a date?” were the words that slipped past Eddie’s lips as several things started to occur to him at once. One of which being how very stupid those words were, and he instantly wished he could take them back. 

Especially when something awfully akin to devastation and resignation painfully tugged its way across Buck’s face, “You didn’t know.”

That wasn’t a question.

This was a date.

Buck had asked him out on a date that morning and Eddie had said yes. 

Buck had been so excited because he had been looking forward to going out _on a date_ with Eddie. 

A date that Eddie had so readily agreed to.

Eddie had just been too much of an idiot to see it.

“That’s why you were nervous.”

Eddie really needed to get his mouth back under control. The tears that had begun to form in Buck’s eyes made his gut clench.

Buck’s mouth twitched, bottom lip trembling as he said, “I-I have t-to−. To go.”

“Buck. Wait. _Don’t_ ,” Eddie grabbed a hold of Buck’s wrist before he could so much as turn, _Dios_ Buck’s pulse was racing, he couldn’t let it end like that, “I’m an idiot.”

Buck closed his eyes, taking a somewhat shaky breath, “Eddie, it’s okay. You don’t have to−.”

“Buck, _please_. Listen to me. I may not have realised that this was a date, but now, I don’t know how I didn’t see it, but I know that’s what I want with you.”

“Don’t just say that.”

“I’m not. Buck, _please_. Come inside. Let’s talk about this.”

He could _feel_ Buck’s hesitation.

“Just to talk,” Eddie said, hoping to reassure him.

Buck’s lips were in a tight line, eyes still downturned, but he gave Eddie the barest hint of a nod. 

Eddie let go, turning to unlock his door, and he did his best to keep his sigh of relief quiet when Buck stayed put. He waited for Buck to walk in first, not wanting to take any chances that he might just change his mind and run back to his jeep.

They stood in silence for what had to be the longest minute and a half of Eddie’s life until Buck finally lifted his gaze to meet Eddie’s eyes with a look that very clearly stated, _So talk_.

Eddie gave the slightest nod, taking a deep breath, his exhale on the loud side, “I didn’t know this was a date,” he was man enough to take full ownership for his idiocy, and he wasn’t going to let Buck take it on for himself, “But if I had, I still would have said yes, Buck, I mean it, I promise you. I might have taken a second or two longer to get the words out, but, Buck, you have to know that I want this too. I just never thought I’d have a shot with you.”

“You’re right,” Buck sucked in a breath with a tight nod, that broke into a grin, “You are an idiot.”

“Hey!” Eddie gave Buck a shove and they both laughed.

“Eddie, I brought you flowers. What did you think they were for?”

“I don’t know. Given the parameters of our friendship it didn’t seem that out of the realm of possibility that you would bring me flowers just ‘cause.”

Buck sighed, scratching the back of his neck, “Well, I mean, _obviously_ flowers shouldn’t have to be inherently romantic−”

“But these ones are.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, like I said earlier. I love them.”

Buck bit his lip, “But only as _friendship_ flowers?”

Eddie knew he was teasing but he gave Buck another playful slap anyway, “I love them as they were intended, asshole.”

And Buck slapped him back.

“I guess I should really sort them now, huh?” Eddie said, making a beeline for the kitchen, Buck followed right behind him.

“Do you even know what to do with them?” Buck asked as he pulled a pair of scissors out of a drawer before Eddie even had a chance to retort. It wasn’t like he was wrong. It wasn’t something Eddie had ever had to deal with.

Eddie took a step back, let Buck handle it, deciding to just watch him cut them free, snapping off some of the leaves, “You don’t want leaves below the water. And see, you have to cut them diagonally, helps them drink better,” Buck said almost gently, sorting them into the vase when they were ready. _Arranging_ them carefully. Eddie couldn’t help but get lost in the movement of Buck’s wrists and forearms as he worked, Eddie may have had a bit of a competency kink, throw in some wrist-porn action…and yeah okay so he had a thing for Buck’s hands.

“Where did you want to put them?”

Eddie’s heart leapt in his chest, and he blinked. _Right_. He shook his head. Buck meant the flowers, not his hands.

Eddie picked up the vase, clutching them to his body, unable to keep the smile from his face, “I want to keep them where I can see them.”

“You really do like them, huh?” Buck asked, pressing up against Eddie’s back, his hands warm as they caressed Eddie’s arms. 

“I do,” Eddie said lifting his eyes as he glanced back over his shoulder and Buck just looked so pleased, without so much as a trace of cockiness, and Eddie couldn’t stop the words from coming out, “ _son de mi novio_.”

“Boyfriend?” Buck asked with a quirk to his eyebrow, teasing slipping back into his tone, “Don’t you think that’s a _little_ presumptuous? Especially for someone who didn’t know he was on a date ten minutes ago?” 

Eddie huffed a laugh, turning in the circle of Buck’s arms so he could look more fully into Buck’s beautiful blue eyes, “Buck, we have keys to each other’s places, we’re co-parenting Chris, and you have a drawer in my bedroom that has started encroaching on my closet space.”

“Well, when you put it like that−.”

They both snorted, shaking their heads. Buck took another one of those half-steps back like he had earlier on the porch, and it made Eddie’s stomach lurch.

“Stay,” and he didn’t care if it sounded desperate, he just couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving, not after Eddie had made such an ass of himself, after he’d hurt Buck, no matter how briefly, “Buck, _please_.”

“ _Eddie_ −”

“Just to sleep. I promise.”

“Eddie, I know we’re not exactly starting from square one here, and maybe we’ve been doing this all backwards. But I don’t want to move too fast now that we’re here. This−. You’re too important to me. Chris is too important to me. I _can’t_ lose you guys. So, I want to do this _right_.”

“Buck, I don’t want to rush this either. And I don’t want to push you, or make you feel uncomfortable. But I think we both know there is no right or wrong way to do this. There’s just _our_ way. And I know it got kinda rocky in the middle there for a minute or two, but I like where it’s gotten us so far. Don’t you?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Then please stay.”

“But just to sleep?”

“Just to sleep.”

\--

Eddie set the vase down on his bedside table. And they kept their backs turned as they changed into comfier clothes.

“You mind if I go first?” Eddie asked with a nod of his head towards the bathroom.

“It’s your house.”

So, Eddie peed, washing his hands and then set about brushing his teeth, he’d just squeezed out the toothpaste when Buck slipped in and joined him at the sink. The two bumping shoulders and sharing glances in the mirror. Eddie finished first and left Buck to it.

Returning to his bed, and getting under the covers, he hadn’t been lying about wanting the flowers where he could see them, he couldn’t take his eyes off of them, they were just so vibrant, _warm_ , red and orange and yellow. Like fire. He wondered if Buck had thought about it consciously when he selected them. 

His smile widening when Buck re-entered the room, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Buck’s smile one of those soft _secret_ ones, with maybe just the teeny, tiniest hint of those nerves from earlier. It wasn’t the first time they’d shared a bed, but the significance of this moment wasn’t lost on Eddie.

So, he decided to tease him, “Should I be _offended_ by your lack of faith in me to keep my hands to myself?”

“It’s not that.”

Eddie didn’t say anything, just waited for Buck to meet his eyes, let him know with a look that he was listening.

“I just, there’s a part of me that still can’t quite believe this is happening. I feel like I’m gonna wake up tomorrow in my own bed and realise that this was all a dream.”

It really ought to be illegal for one man to be _so_ adorable. “ _Ay Cariño_. C’mere,” Eddie said, throwing his hand behind him to tap the bed twice. 

The simple gesture had Buck springing into action, he closed Eddie’s door behind him and then moved over to the bottom of the bed, first placing one knee firmly on the mattress so that he could crawl up the bed, and then twisting to flop down onto his back. 

Eddie reached back with his hand again and Buck took hold, interlacing their fingers together, the two lying in silence for a moment, intermittently squeezing each other’s hands, “Hey, Eds, can I−? Can I hold you?”

“I’d like that.”

Buck shifted to get himself in under the covers and Eddie rolled more completely onto his side allowing Buck to slot right in behind him, one arm disappearing under Eddie’s pillow and the other wrapping around his waist. Almost inexplicably Eddie rather immediately felt safe in Buck’s arms. _Calm_. And it felt _nice_. 

It felt right.

He’d always found comfort in Buck’s touch; he had a way of making Eddie feel _lighter_. Freer. But this was different. More all-encompassing. He felt it deep down in his bones. Made him feel things he wasn’t quite ready to give voice to. But he knew that Buck wouldn’t push. Eddie’s focus shifted back to his flowers that Buck had gotten for him, smile set firmly in place, and he found himself lightly tracing his fingers up and down Buck’s forearm.

“Buck?” 

“Hm?” 

“What was it about today?”

“You mean that made me ask you out?”

“Yeah. Why today?”

“Why not today? I dunno, Eddie. I didn’t want to wait anymore. And uh, today wasn’t actually the first time I tried to ask you out.”

 _What?_.

That had Eddie glancing back over his shoulder, and Buck took a hold of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, “It was the first time I thought for sure you knew, though.”

“You’ve asked me out before?” Eddie couldn’t believe it, how could he have missed it, not just once or even twice, there was something about the way Buck just said that that had Eddie pretty sure he meant more than twice, “Wait, how many times have you asked me out?”

He felt Buck shrug behind him, “A _few_. But any time I’ve asked you out, you’ve always invited Christopher along to whatever I suggested, and you know I would never say no to spending more time with that kid. I love him.”

“I know you do,” Eddie said with the fondest smile taking over his face and he squeezed Buck’s hand, _Dios_ did he ever want to kiss this man. 

Eddie huffed a little, “Wait. That picnic we went on two weeks ago?”

“I asked you if you wanted to go for a hike with me, maybe have a picnic, and you said−”

“And I said, _Chris would love that_.”

“And he did.”

“Shit, Buck, I’m sorry.”

“Eddie, you don’t ever have to apologise to me for putting Chris first. One of my very favourite things, if not my most favourite thing, about you is how great of a dad you are. It’s my fault for being too vague, and I mean I figured you know, with _us_ , we could do something more _fun_ , we both like doing active stuff…” he felt Buck shrug again, “And, uh, we’ve kinda maybe been on a couple of dates that you didn’t realise were dates before too.”

“When!?”

“You remember about a month back, we went out for drinks, just you and me. And everything was going great, or so I thought, until you spotted those two women who you swore were looking at me, and you said I should go talk to them−”

_Buck’s brow scrunched, “Why would I want to do that?”_

_Eddie scoffed, “You’re not interested?”_

_“Why would I be? I’m here with **you**.”_

_“You can see me any old time. You’re really not interested?” he had to at least be interested in one of them, they were both pretty attractive, and he knew it had been a while for Buck._

_“I’m not interested in **them**.”_

“I’m such an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot. But for the record, at least one of those women was actually checking you out.”

“What? No. Why would they do that?”

“You have _seen_ you, right? Last I checked you had a reflection, unless you’ve got some weird selective blindness, which come to think of it−”

“Hey,” Eddie smacked Buck’s thigh making Buck laugh, “and shut up. You get hit on way more than I do. You’re more…approachable.”

“It’s both a blessing and a curse.”

Eddie knew what he meant but he still gave him another playful smack. On the job, Buck’s nature made him one of the best at getting people to calm the fuck down, especially kids. _Dios_ there was nothing that made Eddie swoon harder than how good Buck was with kids, particularly his own. But outside of work…

“Honestly, it’s much more of a curse these days, or at least it is as far as getting hit on is concerned.”

“It makes you uncomfortable.”

Buck nodded. “I mean, we get harassed at work all the time, and that’s whatever, it’s part of the job, we save people, and the body goes through the same autonomic responses for both fear and sexual or romantic attraction. It’s misattribution of arousal. Like that study with the guys and the bridge, and whether or not crossing it made them more likely to call a woman, and I know as with most psychology it doesn’t factor in all the variables−” Buck stopped himself, taking a breath and then he sighed, “Not important. It’s−. It’s _hero_ worship. And when we’re working, I can shrug it off because there’s always more work to do. And I know it’s not real. But outside of work? I don’t know, I just find the whole thing kind of draining.”

They’ve had variations of this conversation about Buck’s rejection issues before, and Eddie still maintained that Buck should be firmer with his no’s, but of course he knew that it wasn’t always as simple as that, and that it wasn’t something that came easily to Buck. Ever the people-pleaser. He always wanted to let them down easy, never wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings, often to the detriment of himself. 

Eddie squeezed Buck’s hand, raising it to his lips to kiss his palm, “Yeah, well, that’s not something you’re gonna have to worry about as much anymore.”

“It’s not?”

“No. You’re my boyfriend now, if anyone so much as starts to make you feel uncomfortable, they’re gonna regret it.”

“Meaning you’ll give them the infamous _Diaz Death Glare_? Patent pending.”

They both let out a small chuckle at that. 

“Infamous?”

“You’ve got a reputation.”

“How did _I_ become the _bad boy_ in this scenario?”

“Oh, Edmundo Diaz, you’re the baddest boy I know.”

Eddie full on laughed at that and Buck followed easily, Eddie still had to jab him with his elbow though, which just made Buck laugh all the more.

“Hey,” Buck said, pulling Eddie’s hand up closer to Eddie’s shoulder, “don’t I at least get some credit for not going the _punishing_ route?”

“And yet you still had to bring it up.”

“I mean, when you _really_ think about it, _you_ brought it up first.”

Eddie snorted at that, “Yeah, okay. _Sure_. It was me.”

“Wow, owning up to it already, I feel like I should say how proud I am of you for this display of personal growth.”

The two of them laughing before Buck even finished saying it. 

There was a certain comfort in knowing that they could still tease each other like that, but Eddie couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of unease, “You’re not really into that sort of stuff though, are you, Buck?”

“God no.” 

The relief Eddie felt at those two words was instantaneous. 

Buck let his nose brush against the back of Eddie’s neck, followed by the softest of kisses to his shoulder, “To each their own and all that. But it’s not something I’m into.”

“Thank God. Me either.”

“Eddie, you know I’d never make you do anything you didn’t want to.”

“I know. Same goes for you.”

“Glad we’re on the same page about _something_.”

“We’re always on the same page,” Eddie huffed a little, rolling his eyes at himself knowing he had to concede, “ _Mostly_.”

“Well, maybe now we finally can be,” Buck placed another kiss to Eddie’s shoulder, Eddie smiled, kissing Buck’s fingers before reaching across to flick off his lamp. 

“Night, Buck.”

“Night, Eds.”

…

“You’re gonna talk all night, aren’t you?” and Eddie could have sworn he could _feel_ Buck’s smirk.


End file.
